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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28236654">Payback</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneatatime/pseuds/oneatatime'>oneatatime</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Kamen Rider Zi-O</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Can be read as OT4, Gen, Sougo and Uncle appear briefly, love this little fambly, platonic or romantic, set both pre and post series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:21:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,033</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28236654</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneatatime/pseuds/oneatatime</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mostly about Tsukuyomi and Geiz, and how they made Woz and Sougo fit.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Yuletide 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Payback</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jen425/gifts">Jen425</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tsukuyomi plopped down next to Geiz on the dusty, threadbare rug, and handed him a bowl. He made an incoherent sound and tucked away the mission plans, back into the front of his shirt. There wasn’t much in the bowl, but then there never really was. Rice, a handful of vegetables, and four small pieces of highly prized beef.</p><p>He promptly used his chopsticks and put half his meat in her bowl, instead. She sighed, but bumped shoulders with him to show appreciation. She argued with him sometimes. She even won. Frequently. But that was partly because she knew how to pick her battles, and this wasn’t one that she had a chance of winning. </p><p>“Tsukuyomi-kun. Geiz-kun.” </p><p>Their leader was polite as always as he settled down two feet away. Close enough to be friendly, far enough to not be an intrusion. He was unfailingly polite with things like that, and Tsukuyomi wished he wouldn’t be. They were friends, right? They were supposed to work together, properly, not just when on missions. There were few enough of them that they all had to be close. </p><p>“Good to see you, Woz,” she said warmly. </p><p>Geiz harrumphed at him, but that was the same as a welcome from most other people, and neither Woz nor Tsukuyomi took it personally. </p><p>There was a tension in Woz’s thin shoulders that she didn’t like at all. </p><p>“What did you find out?” </p><p>Woz stiffened, then inclined his head gracefully at the two of them. Geiz’s question had been blunt and abrupt, but that was just Geiz. “The supply trucks will be guarded. It is too risky.” </p><p>“Got it.” </p><p>Tsukuyomi was only too aware that that meant that Geiz would be going after supplies all by himself, once night hit. She’d have to go with him. They could do without extra food for a day or two. But they needed water. Badly. </p><p>*** </p><p>Tsukuyomi tapped on the wall next to Woz’s little alcove. This wasn’t much of a place, but none of their bases were. They had to keep moving all the time. Couldn’t settle in, couldn’t make a proper home for themselves. </p><p>She’d caught Geiz yesterday sewing the arm back on little Akane-chan’s rag doll, with inexpert but solid stitches. It both broke her heart and repaired it. The rag doll’s name was Princess Buttkicker, which just made her smile.</p><p>Woz gestured her inside, and she leaned against the clay wall next to his bed. He smiled up at her, exhaustion in every aspect of his face. The tiny breeze from the tiny hole in the wall, which served as a window, ruffled his hair now and then. </p><p>“What can I do for you?”</p><p>“You love him, don’t you,” she said softly.</p><p>“Geiz-kun?” Woz rose to his feet in outrage. “I most certainly-”</p><p>She actually found herself giving a short, genuine laugh at that one, and he paused. She wouldn’t mind if that happened. Romantic or platonic. But she knew the most she could hope for was a good working relationship, and for now, they had that, and they had her to pull them into line when necessary. </p><p>And a couple other people she could depend on, now and then. Akane-chan’s elder sister, Megumi, was a good kid who helped distribute supplies fairly and was an excellent sharpshooter. Ren, an older man who had to be watched for a tendency towards self-sacrifice, had clear eyes and was able to tell her about all kinds of emotional undercurrents.  But mostly if she wanted something done, she did it herself, because there just weren’t enough of them. </p><p>(Hope. What a strange idea.) </p><p>“I know you and Geiz get on well enough for what we have to do. I meant Oma Zi-O,” she clarified. “It’s hard for you, isn’t it.” </p><p>Woz shrank in on himself, and dropped back down onto his bed. </p><p>“He loves us,” he whispered.</p><p>“You, I think.” </p><p>It wasn’t that she had no sympathy for him at all. Woz had a difficult, difficult job, working for Oma Zi-O, trying not to get himself killed, while still funnelling information to the resistance. While still helping them all. </p><p>But that didn’t mean that Tokiwa Sougo gave a damn about him, except as a tool. </p><p>Woz looked up at her. “Perhaps he loves just me.” </p><p>He obviously didn’t want to believe it, and there was more hiding there under the surface, but then a shout went up. They were under attack. </p><p>She shoved her way out from behind the curtain, blaster in hand.</p><p>***</p><p>Alpina - Tsukuyomi – Alpina – plopped down next to Geiz at the spotless little table, and handed him a bowl. He made an incoherent kind of sound and put his homework away. The bowl held a good sized serving. Pork, vegetables, rice, all covered in a thick, savoury sauce. </p><p>It smelled amazing.</p><p>Alpina took two pieces of pork from her own bowl and put them into his. </p><p>He made a face at her, and she laughed. “I’m just paying you back,” she protested mildly. </p><p>“You don’t need to. There’s plenty for everyone!” </p><p>Alpina tilted her head at him, hair swinging as she smiled, and eventually he relaxed into a smile back at her. Now that they had their memories back again, it was so very much better. She could remember all kinds of pain…… but she could also remember the good times.</p><p>Times she’d spent with this person, this idiot, this dear, dear friend. </p><p>Woz swung into his own seat, and sniffed appreciatively at his own bowl from Uncle. “Tsukuyomi-kun. Geiz-kun.”</p><p>He looked far better than he had yesterday, when he’d just been a strange, clearly harmless stalker near school. Everything was back in place now. Everything worked. They’d hated Woz for a while, they’d forgotten Woz for a while, but it was all past, now. </p><p>There was an ease to his shoulders and a sparkle to his eyes. </p><p>“You love him, don’t you,” Tsukuyomi said softly. </p><p>“He loves all of us,” Woz told her, nodding earnestly. </p><p>Sougo arrived in a clatter, yammering on about something or other, and she laughed because he was so very right. Uncle wasn’t far behind. </p><p>The five of them sat to eat together. It was perfect.</p>
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